Sunday, 1 January 2017

Dear 2016...

You have been an amazing year! So much has happened, and will pave the way for things to happen in 2017 and beyond!

My biggest moment of the year definitely has to be getting engaged to the love of my life. Ok, ok - soppy stuff, but I mean it. Dave has changed my life in so many ways, and I can't wait to marry him and embark on our next chapter together!

Another big change has been my change of profession; swapping from baby photographer to medical receptionist. It has, without a doubt, been the best decision ever. No regrets! I do occasionally miss playing with children for a living, but on the plus side, I am not doing a daily 2hr commute, spending endless periods of time in hotels, and being treated like dirt. I feel like I've finally found my calling! And I've made some fab new friends along the way!

My new job meant losing my work van...so I bought a car! It'd been a few years since I had given up my car, so it's been lovely to have my own set of wheels again!

Crochet achievement of the year! My Lilypond CAL - I loved making this, and although it was a little rushed towards the end, and I did have the disastrous moment of throwing a cup of tea into the bag of squares, it turned out beautifully and Dave's Mum loved it.

In addition to the blanket, I picked up my hooks and did some amigurumi for the first time in over a year, and now have crocheted critters all over the upstairs office at work (hoping to add to the collection...!). I also made my first items of clothing! I'm already piling up the projects for 2017!

This year brought an amazing achievement within the family - my Grandparents' 60th wedding anniversary! They are an absolute inspiration ♥

2016 also brought the "adoption" of Dave's new lady, in the form of his Lotus...which I did not initially take to, but have changed my mind!

In addition to these lovely highlights, I have spent 2016 reading, cooking, laughing, making, creating, loving, and smiling. I've tried new foods (I never thought I'd eat calamari, and discovered I love it!), been to new places, and made new friends. I've been camping, for the first time since I was a teenager, and can't wait to go again when the weather warms up! I completed the first year of the 5 year memory book that my brother gave me for Christmas 2015, and am ready to get started on year 2!

It's been a fantastic 12 months, and although a lot of people have been saying it's been a sad one due to celebrity deaths and terror attacks, for me as a whole, it has been life changing. Bring it on 2017 - you have a lot to live up to!

As for this year - what would I like to achieve? I have already set my target in my Goodreads Reading Challenge! This year I am hoping to reach 18 completed books, which is the most I have previously read in a year (in 2015), so I know it's achievable. If I can surpass that, it'll be an added bonus. I also want to try and see how many of these I can tick off...

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I would like to dabble in pattern writing again, which is something that I haven't done in several years, but who knows...maybe I'll have a stab at it again.

I want to spend more time with my loved ones, which is a recurring thing each year, but I believe that people focus way too much on work and not about those around them. We are only here for a limited time, so we need to make the most of it.

I am hoping to plan the most kick ass wedding ever! Or at least a really good one!

As always, lose weight and get fit are high up in the rankings...but this year I really want to stick at it and sort myself out. Getting married is definitely good motivation for that, and I want to maintain it afterwards as well.

But more than anything, I want 2017 to be another happy year. And that applies for my loved ones as well. Life's too short to frown all the time. It's taken me a long time to realise that!